A Time Frame for Iran

July 21, 2009

A Time Frame for Iran

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A Time Frame for Iran

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At their meeting earlier this month in L'Aquila, Italy, Leaders of the Group of Eight major industrial countries urged Iran to comply fully with International Atomic Energy Agency and U.N. Security Council resolutions concerning its nuclear program. In a statement, the G8 leaders said they "remain deeply concerned over proliferation risks posed by Iran's nuclear program," and agreed to take stock of Iran's progress or lack of progress at the next G8 meeting in September.

The G8, which includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.S. and Russia, "welcomed the readiness of the U.S. to enter into direct talks with Iran, and reasserted their commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the issue of Iran's nuclear program and of Iran's continued failure to meet its international obligations."

President Barack Obama praised the decision by the G8 to reevaluate in September any progress Iran has made in relation to its nuclear program:

"What that does is provides a time frame. The international community has said, here's a door you can walk through that allows you to lessen tensions and more fully join the international community. If Iran chooses not to walk through that door, then you have on record the G8 to begin with, but I think potentially a lot of other countries, that are going to say we need to take further steps."

"We provide that door," said President Obama. "But . . . we're not going to just wait indefinitely and allow for the development of a nuclear weapon, the breach of international treaties, and wake up one day and find ourselves in a much worse situation and unable to act." It is my hope, said Mr. Obama, "that the Iranian leadership will. . . .recognize that world opinion is clear."